Getting along with co-workers

[jayemt05]

This is a first for me so bear with me please. How do others deal with the day to day bickering/backstabbing/pot-stirring that seems to permeate my department? (County based EMS, not affiliated with fire or hospital). I've been here a long time and it doesn't seem to change. On scene we all work together like clock work but down time is another story. Has anyone else had this experience?

 

[Summit]

Originally posted by jayemt05@Mar 27 2005, 01:01 PM
This is a first for me so bear with me please. How do others deal with the day to day bickering/backstabbing/pot-stirring that seems to permeate my department? (County based EMS, not affiliated with fire or hospital). I've been here a long time and it doesn't seem to change. On scene we all work together like clock work but down time is another story. Has anyone else had this experience?

Are you one of my coworkers?

 

[jayemt05]

Not if you live in the mountains! Any suggestions?

 

[CodeSurfer]

My experience is that anywhere you work can get to be a little like high school drama. He said she said... and look at what jack did with jill!!!!!

I just go with the flow and watch it all play out like my own personal sitcom. :lol:

 

[rescuecpt]

We say "As the Corps turns" or "Days of our Corps" when there's a lot of drama... I just tend to lay low and do my job when things fire up - and I usually get through. I always bring something to do, either work (from my day job) or a crafty project. When I smell trouble brewing, I find a corner to go do my stuff.

 

[SCEMT-B]

I'd lay low myself if I wasn't the center of their topic :lol: Apparently the dispatchers on the day shift don't like me very much. I think it could have somethign to do with calling their bluff when they tried to get me suspended for doing something i never did

 

[MMiz]

EMS is weird like that, everyone is in everyone else's business.

I work for a private company, so we post in our vehicles around the city 24/7. We only leave the vehicles to use the restroom or get food, but then we have to eat in the trucks. Needless to say, everyone hears everyone else's phone conversations, and everyone knows when one person went to the bathroom one too many times on a shift.

Working BLS, even our dialysis patients get in on the gossip. They know more about the company than I do.

Personally, I don't get involved in the drama. I work contingent, meaning I'll pick up random shifts, meaning I don't have the same partner. I've worked with BLS and ALS partners, and I know most people's basic life stories.

Most of my partners know that I don't get involved in the gossip that everyone else seems to thrive on. I'll just change the subject or not carry on the conversation, that always seems to work for me.

I've had many issues with many of my partners, but I try my hardest to work around them. I've had partners that couldn't lift, and others that I just couldn't stand working with. For the people I can't stand working with, I try to minimize my interaction with them, and do my own thing. Like you said, we always work together on scene, but in the truck I'll do my own thing.

After rambling on, I realize that I don't have a solution for you. I can say that it's important to find something that works, because there is nothing worse than working with someone you hate.

Best of luck, and let us know how it turns out

 

[Summit]

I sidelinie on all the gossip and drama as much as I can because it's never about me. (at least not when I'm there :lol and the gossip around here is VICIOUS

I have the biggest problems with the people who think they know best about everything, the ones who demand that you do something their particualr way when your way work: actually had a guy about my age tell me that "you should sit up straight, your posture is bad" when I was leaning back in the day room.

Worst, the ones who want to tell you to do your job when you are already or just about to do it, especially when they aren't on your crew:

While walking to the ambulance to clean it, "Hey, go clean the ambulance"

Pulling off paper towels to wipe up some blood "Clean up that blood"

etc etc etc

 

[AJemt]

Originally posted by Summit@Mar 28 2005, 01:10 AM
While walking to the ambulance to clean it, "Hey, go clean the ambulance"

Pulling off paper towels to wipe up some blood "Clean up that blood"

etc etc etc

we do that here too, but usually it's in a joking manner...the convo is usually along the lines of someone going to do something and someone else...hey why don't you go do this? * yeah, hey i know, why don't i do this? * yeah, that sounds like a good idea * yeah, i'll do this.
maybe try it sometime, see if it diffuses some of the tension, or else just ignore them.

 

[jayemt05]

Thanks so much, everyone, for your kind replies. Like I said, this is a first for me but i just new this problem was not limited to my deptartment, so I searched the web for for feedback. As I also mentioned I've been here forever, so this stuff should just roll off my back. (It's been said I came with the building, I'm old as dirt, etc, etc). This joking stuff doesn't bother me, it's just the day to day gossip and nit picking that every once in a while fires me up. My brother, who is a firefighter, says it is girl stuff and that's the problem. Of course I take offense to that! I usually read or do a craft project, but, being a supervisor, I frequently get in the middle of things and I don't want to be there! Guess thats part of the job. Thanks again to everyone!

Any scrapbook fans out there? I would like to trade ideas for ems, fire, etc. related supplies.

 

[rescuecpt]

Ooh! Ooh! I'm a scrap-book-aholic! Just ask my crew, in the last year they've probably seen me make 10 of them.

 

[emtbuff]

I like to scrap book to just finding the time to do it that is another story.


Anyways back to the strife and crap with coworkers. I know that there are some people on the Volley squad that I run with that I can stand to run with. But for the most part those that Have a problem with someone else because of something done on scene or what ever usually gets taken care of by the individuals on their own time. As for the gossip I know that it is out there but I can't say I notice a whole lot of it.

 

[jayemt05]

Anyone aware of scrapbook supplies with fire/police/ems stickers, pages, etc? Creative memories has a sticker pack (wheels and whistles) but i have used it over and over. My local SB store has a very limited supply.

 

[coloradoemt]

I think one of the largest factors in EMS that leads to others being mean, back stabbing, gossip, etc. is the fact that since we see so much out on the street we become de-sensitized to the feelings of others and hammer on each other. Much of it I feel is just some peoples way to vent. I deal with the same issues but do not let myself become involved... I carry a Game Boy color at all times... :lol: Ignoring others endless unconstructive banter not only keeps me out of it, but gives those same people nothing really bad to say about me... USUALLY!!

 

[jayemt05]

You pose an interesting point I had not considered (about being de-sensitized). In my dept. though you can literally be in a corner by yourself minding your own business and something will be said about you and suddenly you are the center of a huge controversy virtually thru no fault of your own. Yikes I'm starting to sound whiney! There are some wonderful, talented poeple in my dept. some of them just need to get a life. I'm an optimist, I go in every day hoping for change.

 

[rescuecpt]

Originally posted by jayemt05@Mar 29 2005, 06:17 PM
Anyone aware of scrapbook supplies with fire/police/ems stickers, pages, etc? Creative memories has a sticker pack (wheels and whistles) but i have used it over and over. My local SB store has a very limited supply.

I will look through my stuff and let you know what I have.

 

[Ridryder911]

True, we become immune to protect ourselves so much .. we calleous ourselves to others. We have 3 separate crews, each with its own behavior pattern.

Perfecitonist, Commodrity & then there is my crew very distant & cold with each other.

I was placed to promote recruit comodrity, but everyone goes to their own room & watch their own TV/DVD & play their own games etc.. only interact with each other on calls & between (cleaning up etc...) Very private, apathetic to each other & most can't wait to get out of EMS. Unfortunatley, these our 24 hr. shifts and have several sub stations.
I have been in EMS for 27 yrs & have never seen anything like it...

Be safe,

Ridryder 911

 

[jayemt05]

I am sorry you are in that situation, makes for a long 24 hrs. This is my 28th year and sometimes i wonder why people do the job if they are just waiting for something else to come along. I love my job despite the draw backs, I love helping people and feeling I am giving back to the community i was born and raised in. I probably should count my blessings!

 

[SCEMT-B]

Originally posted by jayemt05@Mar 31 2005, 01:22 PM
I am sorry you are in that situation, makes for a long 24 hrs. This is my 28th year and sometimes i wonder why people do the job if they are just waiting for something else to come along. I love my job despite the draw backs, I love helping people and feeling I am giving back to the community i was born and raised in. I probably should count my blessings!

I feel the same way. I understand some people do our job because they need the experiance to move onto being an ER nurse or other Medical jobs. What I don't get are the people i work with that do not strive to challenge themselfs to not only learn somethign new everyday but to set goals beyond being just a Basic. It becomes disheartening to see that some of the people I work with just care about a paycheck and nothing about the job or what we do.

 

[40sCutest]

At our company it happens like this alot too but it is a little bit better because we only have 2 paid staff at any one time. The rest that run are volly and get along pretty well with everyone. Some of my favorite things to do to keep the peace you might ask?

1. Bake or cook something. Everyone loves food, especially when they are working. I love to cook so it looks like I care.

2. Decorate the office. Cute EMS stories or pictures. Anything to give a good laugh.

3. Share information. If I hear about anything interesting, conferences, Con Eds or anything like that I'll share it. I look it up anyway so why not help everyone else out?

Now everyone thinks I care, wether I do or not. It's nice.